Sonic and the Curse of the Black Ice
by Howlitzer
Summary: "Jailhouse Rock, Part 3". A dark secret threatens to consume Holoska, and possibly the entire world. An overlooked legend starts to come to light in the process.
1. Permafrost Soul, Act 1

At high speed, Sonic the Hedgehog ran up the side of a snowy mountain, aware of the dangers that lay ahead, but not too concerned about them. His partner Kiriko Hoshikira was a safe distance behind him and off to one side, smartly avoiding the falling pieces of rock that came because of her master's rapid movements.

The snow falling around them was heavy and blindingly white in the sun's rays – an odd mix of two weather conditions that only occurred at this height, where the clouds gave way to the majestic rocky peaks.

The sky blue hedgehog rose upwards nimbly on the frosted earth, taking advantage of footholds and jagged edges as she leaped off them towards the peaks ahead. Golden eyes focused through the driving snow as the winds threw it around in her face. Her breaths came out smoky white against the ever-blackening skies.

Sonic stopped lightly on a small ledge, one seemingly too small to stand on normally. His expertise allowed him to shift his weight easily as he stood, barely disturbing the fragile structure as he waited for Kiriko to catch up. She came within a reasonable distance, and he took off swiftly again, leaving the ledge intact for Kiriko as she launched off it just as lightly.

The two quickly danced up the mountain face, breaking through the clouds and reaching a space of incredible calm, the sky a perfect blue and the sun shining lovingly upon them.

"It's beautiful," Kiriko whispered, taking in every sight while she still could. The whole world was beneath her, and she had seen nothing like it before. The milky clouds, the sparkling snow…it was so perfect, all of it.

"You want to stay for a while?" Sonic asked. Kiriko pondered the thought for a moment before answering.

"It's up to you, Master."

He simply nodded in response and started down the other side of the peak. "We might come back later."

"If that is your wish, Master." Though she really did want to stay for a while longer, her mind told her that Sonic wouldn't really like waiting for her to finish admiring the world above the clouds…but then again, he _had_ asked if she wanted to stay…

Shaking her head of the thought, she started to follow him as he made his descent, but noticed that he had stopped for some reason and was examining his sword.

"Hm. Maybe I can get some downtime in…"

"Master? Is something the matter?"

"Nope. Kiriko, this'll be a good time to practice your spinning technique. It's a lot easier going downhill. I'll make my own way to the bottom," he said, dropping his sword into the snow. It promptly started to slide down the incline, and he planted both feet on top of it like a snowboard, shredding down the mountain face.

"See you at the bottom!"

"Ah…Master…" She sighed and then jumped off the peak herself, rolling into a spiked ball and tearing through rock as she spun down the mountain's face after Sonic.

He watched as she raced past him, swerving expertly to avoid any major obstacles as she rolled on towards the bottom.

"Coming along pretty good," he said with a smile. "You'll get where you need to be in no time, Kiriko."

Lightning flashed as they crossed back into one of the many blizzards that ran across the mountain. Sonic simply cracked a smile as he was launched off a ridge, catching big air as the raging wind screamed in his ears.

_I guess this is the start of something new..._

* * *

><p>After crossing the mountain range, the two hedgehogs made their way across the icy plains towards the lone and remote village of Holoska. The world around them was in a state of perpetual dusk, the sun hanging in the same place for hours on end as they ran on top of hardened snow.<p>

"Whoa…seems like they've been doing some growing lately."

The last time Sonic had visited the village, it was relatively small, consisting of a few clans and their hand-built igloos. Now, the population had exploded, with several modern-looking buildings, frost-covered roads with cars driving down them, and people walking about like it was a normal day in a normal town. Holoska was different, and while he was unsure if he liked it (Chun-nan's advancements were small and not as obvious), Sonic thought it was certainly a unique sight.

Entering the newly expanded Holoska brought Sonic and Kiriko under the soft glow of electric streetlights, which only gave enough light to navigate safely and nothing more. The glowing of the stars as they hung in the sky was clearly visible, even with the large poles illuminating the streets. Frosted windows caught the waning rays of the sun and reflected them back onto the streets, casting soft shadows as the village's inhabitants headed for their destinations.

"Perhaps we should find a place to stay, Master? It might get a lot colder later on."

Sonic pondered Kiriko's words for a moment before shaking his head. "Not yet. I think we need to figure out what's in store before we take any more breaks. Is that alright with you?"

"If that is your will, Master."

He eyed her thoughtfully before heading towards a nearby general store. Might do well to stock up on a few things before heading into the abyss.

* * *

><p>"I'm still not able to follow those conversations too well…what was that all about?"<p>

Amy and Tails were at a small restaurant in Spagonia, enjoying a dish of homemade _lasagna_. They had finished their meeting with the American businessman earlier, who discussed the development and specifications of the newest G.U.N. project with Tails. The fox had made sure to take note of his surroundings as they left the building, and saw that there wasn't anyone following them within proximity.

Even if he was still paranoid about the whole thing, he didn't dare let it show on his face, and especially not in front of Amy. She was quite keen when she wanted to be…

"It's something public, so I can tell you a little about it under the whole Freedom of Information deal. The project's codenamed 'Thor'."

"Thor? As in, the God of Thunder from Norse mythology?"

"Yeah. You know about that sort of thing?"

She shrugged and sipped her glass of grape juice. "A little bit. And there's the whole superhero thing."

"Right, right. Anyways…it's pretty big in the scientific world, and it's not just a fancy name, here. Endless possibilities for the generation, study, and use of electricity. Seeing as it's the military, the first build's gonna be in the form of autonomous mobile armour."

Amy blinked and placed a piece of lasagna into her mouth.

"I guess in layman's terms…uh, a really big, really smart robot," Tails said, scratching his head.

"Ah. That works," she said with a nod.

"We're collaborating with different corporations the world over, like the one that the Boss runs. And _you-__know__-who_ is working on it, too."

"Hm," she grunted with a frown.

"The old days are pretty much over, Amy. He can't cause any more trouble, no matter how hard he tries."

"You sound so sure of that," she replied.

"I _am_ sure of it, Amy."

"I guess we'll see in time," she said softly.

"…I know you're still bitter about what happened. So am I…but we can't keep dwelling on those things, you know?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I know."

"Eggman – or Doctor Robotnik, if we want to be politically correct, is part of something else with the higher-ups. Ironically, it's coded as 'Jörmungandr'."

"How's that ironic?" Amy asked curiously.

"It's because Thor kills Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, in _Ragnarök_, or the end of the world in Norse mythos. It's just speculation from me, but maybe the government is planning something huge, some kind of epic strike against their enemies. I'm just on the project as one of the leads."

Amy leaned back in her chair, swishing around the juice in her glass as she held it.

"I wonder what could be going on that's so demanding of that kind of secrecy? I haven't heard from Sonic, either."

"He's fine. I think he's just tied up with something else right now." Tails noted the flashing light on his wrist computer – a new message had arrived. He took the time to read it while shovelling in forkfuls of lasagna from his plate.

"Work stuff again?" Amy asked, sipping from her glass.

Tails swallowed his food before answering. "Nah, personal." He kept himself neutral even as he read the news from Vector and Shadow. There was a side note from Rouge in another message that he couldn't check out at the moment.

"Everything's okay, I hope."

"Yeah. No worries." He gave her a smile as he resumed eating. _For __now,__ at __least__…__if __I __don__'__t __solve __this __problem__ soon, __we__'__ll __have __quite __a__ lot __to__ worry __about __in __the __end._

Amy looked up into the skies above, sighing softly.

"I hope you're safe, Sonic…wherever you are…"

* * *

><p>"Master…"<p>

"I know."

Carrying backpacks full of supplies, Sonic and Kiriko happened upon a small mitten as they made their way through town.

It was covered in pitch black ice.

"Let's get started," he said, tossing the frozen mitten into the air.

"As you wish."

It hit the ground and shattered in front of them. Sonic grunted and cracked his neck before moving forward. The world around them seemed to darken, despite the fact that the sun wouldn't set for a few months.

"This looks like it could be trouble, Master…"

"Yup."

He drew his sword, exhaling deeply.

"Another day at the office, I guess."

* * *

><p>an: Welcome to _Jailhouse __Rock, __Part __3:__ Curse__ of__ the __Black__ Ice._ This picks up from where we left off with _Wrath __of__ the__ Five __Dragons_, though I don't think I'm quite finished with that one yet (despite reaching the end of the main story), so look out for more stuff. The adventure continues in this part of the saga. Questions and comments are welcomed as usual.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sonic <strong>__**the**_ _**Hedgehog **__in_

_**"Curse of the Black Ice"**_

_**Amy** Rose_

_**Kiriko** Hoshikira_

_Miles **'Tails'** Prower_

_with:_

_**Shadow** the Hedgehog_

_**Rouge** the Bat_

_**Vector** the Crocodile_

_**Espio** the Chameleon_

_and featuring:_

_Doctor Ivo **'Eggman'** Robotnik_


	2. Permafrost Soul, Act 2

a/n: Sorry about the slowness, finally here. It's short, but I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

><p>Sonic and Kiriko raced across the plains of black ice, heading for the old settlements a few miles from the newly upgraded village of Holoska. Jagged blades of ice and wide fissures dotted the landscape, forcing the two heroes to pay close attention as they ran on.<p>

Plants and animals were frozen like statues in case of thick, black frost, in various positions as they were before the freeze occurred. The outlines of partially blackened glaciers could be seen from far off, moving slowly in the icy cold waters.

Sonic noticed his left hand reacting to the presence of the black ice, meaning it was something that needed to be destroyed completely at some point. There was a general sense of which direction it was coming from, and it happened to be the same direction that they were headed towards. He looked backwards at Kiriko as she trailed him, thinking of what needed to be done.

If he had the time, he would also need to call Amy. No sense leaving her to worry like that. Sonic could see the old settlement ahead, also known as 'Old Holoska' to those who had left for the revitalized version of the village. The two places were tightly connected, with communications and supply routes. Some people preferred to live the way that they always had, and to raise their families in the ways of their ancestors.

Now, however…they were frozen in thick, black ice. Many of the bodies were frozen in mid-flight or in movements of frenzy and panic, illustrating the scene in eerie detail as Sonic and Kiriko walked by.

"Master…is there a way to rescue them?"

Sonic looked down at his left hand, clenching it tightly. He exhaled, sending a puff of frosty white air upwards in front of him as he looked around at the frozen villagers.

"Not without endangering everyone's safety. I think they're relatively safe as long as nothing disturbs them. Once I make a move, I might be inviting whatever this is to advance and maybe attack." He wrapped a red scarf around his neck and secured it before moving forward.

"Is there anything that we can do?"

"There is. We'll just have to start moving quickly. I want you to search for the Chosen that's around here somewhere. I'll follow the trail of the ice and see if I can't find the source."

"Master, are…you sure about this?" Kiriko asked nervously. "I don't have much experience doing things on my own."

"It's alright, you can do it."

"B-but what if I mess up? What if something goes wrong and I can't handle it on my own?"

"Kiriko…"

Sonic wrapped a red scarf around Kiriko's neck gently.

"You trust me, right?"

"I do," she said softly.

"Okay. So if I tell you that everything's gonna be okay, and that you'll be fine, will you believe me?"

"I…want to trust you…but I can't trust myself right now."

"Will you try for me?" he asked.

"Of course! Anything for you, Master!" she said frantically.

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "That's all I ask. Believe in yourself, Kiriko. Just like I believe in you. I'll see you soon."

"Master, wait…!" Trying to hold back her furious blush, she kept her head turned as she held out a hand towards him, little finger extended outwards. "Can you…"

He scratched his head and walked back, wrapping his pinky finger around hers.

"I promise," he said sincerely before taking off again.

"…" It was something childish, she knew. A pinky promise, of all things…but to have him do it brought some sort of comfort to her. He hadn't scolded her for being scared like the last time, so maybe it was just that he was irritated…or perhaps he really meant what he said, and this was the first real test for her. Confidence was a necessity this time, wasn't it?

The total area of the settlement was larger than Kiriko thought it to be, as it encompassed a number of different places. Walking around, she found a discarded map on the ground and knelt down to open it. The shadows of the frozen people around her seemed to appear larger with each passing moment. If she were to find the Chosen, she would have to hurry.

"I can do this…I can do this…I know I can do this…"

Taking a deep breath, Kiriko concentrated and focused her energies.

"Here I go. **Satellite**."

Three spheres of water appeared around her, with small white rings spinning outside of them. They moved off in various directions at her command, and Kiriko herself started to search for any survivors. If the spheres came upon anything, she'd know about it immediately.

Until then, she'd have to keep her eyes open for anything unusual…

Wait a moment.

"The new town…why wasn't it…?"

Though it was important, Sonic was long gone by now. Kiriko hoped he would come back as quickly as he said, because something even stranger than this was going on…

* * *

><p>In the meantime, Sonic the Hedgehog ran at top speed across the ice, towards the supposed origin of the black menace. Ice was one of his least favourite surfaces to run on, because of the utter lack of friction that existed between his shoes and the ground below. From experience, he knew that running on top of ice wasn't a matter of skill, but a matter of confidence in where you were going. If you were unsure of your steps at any moment, the ice would trip you up and toss you around at its leisure. The only thing made easier were drift turns, not that anyone had a need for them in such vast spaces.<p>

He noted the black ice gathering in various places, creating stand-alone caverns with jagged edges. Several of these caverns dotted the landscape as he passed by at a quick pace, and his eye caught the largest one of all looming large in the distance. It had a network of passageways leading out from it, all decorated in pitch-black icicles along the outside surfaces.

"Reminds of me of one of Eggman's bases," Sonic said to himself as he picked up speed. "This thing looks to be recent, too. It's displacing everything else, and I think it's on top of the ocean, too. Whatever the heck this is…" He looked over at his left hand, which kept reacting with every section of black ice that he passed over, around, or through.

"…It's probably something bad. I hope Kiriko doesn't run into any trouble."

* * *

><p>"Oh, boy…I think I'm in for it now…"<p>

Soft brown eyes blinked away the frost that tried to form over them, and the girl shivered despite her warm clothing. A thick fur coat, pants, and boots were hand made to keep out the cold, even in the harsh conditions of Holoska. However, none of that seemed to matter in the face of the mysterious black ice that had crept up and swallowed the old village and its people.

Marketa unsuccessfully tried to shift her frozen feet, feeling the ice slowly creep up her legs. The only thing holding it off was the glowing jade necklace that she wore, bought in Chun-nan a few years earlier.

Well, it was some kind of help, right? At least…for now…

"Could be worse…I think." Marketa sighed and tried to focus on warm, happy thoughts, but the cold wasn't being considerate. Her black pigtails were already hard as stone from the temperature, since she hadn't moved in several hours. Fatigue was slowly starting to set in, but she knew that she couldn't fall asleep as she was. There was a chance that she wouldn't be able to wake up. Ever.

"Eh?"

An odd object entered her view, something like a miniature planet, complete with its own ring system around it. It reacted to her voice and circled around her trapped body.

"Water…but what could make water act like this?" she mused.

"Hello?" a voice called. Kiriko had received the message from her Satellite and rushed towards its location, finding the girl along with it.

"Oh! You look a lot like Sonic," Marketa noted. "Do you know him, by chance?"

Kiriko knelt beside the girl, examining the ice around her legs. "I do. He is my master."

"Master? I don't get it."

"He is the God of Wind, and I am his loyal servant."

"God of Wind…? You mean that the old legends were true? Wow! So…where is he?"

"He left me in charge of looking for survivors and useful information," Kiriko said as she tapped on the ice. "I don't think that was a very good idea, really…"

"Why not? Obviously, if he left you to do this alone, he trusts you a lot and thinks you're capable. Otherwise, he'd be here himself, right?" the human girl replied with certainty.

"Do you know him well?" Kiriko asked curiously.

"Well enough," Marketa replied with a shrug. "Is there any chance that you can get me out of here?"

"I can't see the point where your legs are separated," she said, calling forth her katana. "It would be a blind strike…and I don't know if your legs are bonded to the ice."

"They're not, fortunately. I saw what happened to the other people…I think I know where some of our old books and stuff are kept, so those should help."

"…And I wouldn't know where to start without you," Kiriko said with a heavy sigh. "I need to free you."

"Oh, man…this might not end well," Marketa groaned. Kiriko raised the tip of her katana high over the girl's feet.

"I can stop the blood flow quickly if it comes to-"

"The less we talk about this, the less freaked out I get," Marketa said quickly. "Go for it…"

Kiriko nodded and breathed in deeply. There was a tiny bit of shaking in her hands…not good. It had to be now.

"O Creator…guide my blade…"

Marketa closed her eyes, and Kiriko thrust downward.


	3. Permafrost Soul, Act 3

a/n: Sorry for the delays, just haven't been where I think I should be in terms of writing. I think I said this before at some point somewhere else...well. I hope you all enjoy this one, and thanks for the support as always.

* * *

><p>Marketa opened her eyes after a few moments, noticing that the hedgehog girl had stopped her movement halfway.<p>

"Uh…is everything okay?"

Kiriko nodded and stabbed lightly into the ice, leaving a crack in it. She waved a hand and called one of the water spheres near, sending it into the opening.

"And…**Burst!**"

The pressure of the water built up inside the small opening, and the ice cracked under it, shattering into pieces around Marketa's feet. The human girl stood up and stretched her legs, shaking them free of frost as she did so.

"Look at that…and you thought that you weren't capable enough on your own? That was pretty clever of you!"

"Ah…thank you," Kiriko replied with a slight blush. "It just came to mind suddenly…"

"That's what we call intuition, you know? By the way, what's your name? Mine's Marketa."

"I'm Kiriko. Kiriko Hoshikira."

"Nice to meet you. Now that everything seems to be all right, we can get moving. The archives are on the other side of the village."

"Do you think there would be information on this particular occurrence?" Kiriko asked.

"It's not unlikely," Marketa replied.

"Then it's settled. Do we need any additional supplies? My pack is nearby."

"I don't think so."

"Good. We can begin."

* * *

><p>In the meantime, Sonic had reached his destination, having run through the long tunnel that led into the large structure he was currently walking through. It looked a lot like a giant ice castle from the outside, with foreboding, jagged edges, and a darkness that seemed to swallow up the sunlight as it touched it.<p>

The corridors were predictably dark and empty, leaving Sonic to wonder if there actually was anyone behind this as he originally thought. Perhaps it was something natural that simply got out of control. Perhaps he was wrong.

Either way, this thing needed to be stopped, and quickly.

There were strange markings on the walls of the room he stood in, but he couldn't understand them at all. Did they mean anything important?

"Maybe I should have taken some intel before heading out so quickly…"

A few markings pointed towards one of the hallways that continued further inside. Sonic shrugged and walked through it.

* * *

><p>"Eh? Soleanna?"<p>

"Yeah. It's for business."

Tails and Amy were on their way to Spagonia University, as Amy had been asked to present her compositions by the music directors of the school once they heard she had been in town. Apparently, her work seemed to get around a lot, which surprised her.

"That's to the north, right?" Amy asked, shifting the strap of her handbag back onto her shoulder.

"Just about. I might be gone for a day or two, maybe a week at the most. G.U.N is going into a new phase, and a few of Soleanna's top scientists are going to work for us back home on Thor. I'm gonna have to check out the tech they have for us over there and work out the kinks pretty fast if there are any."

"Wait, didn't you have something already worked out for this project?"

"A few things. The transmission, main power core, and the overdrive…those were the biggest parts of the whole plan. They rejected my idea, though."

"Why's that?"

"I'm guessing politics and all of that," Tails said with a shrug. "Soleanna has some advanced stuff; I think they're about two or three years ahead of us at any given time when it comes to major tech. We manage to outpace them in a few things on the other side of the pond, but…really. Some of the things we've been struggling to get running here, they already have in some of their multi-purpose machines. It's amazing."

"So it wasn't because they didn't like your idea," Amy said thoughtfully, "but because they wanted to kiss up."

"Basically. Probably better for me, since I've been working on compatibility with the Tornado, anyways. If I install it properly, I'd have access to more lightweight weaponry, longer flight times, and all that good stuff."

"Sounds cool. Hope it works out for you," Amy said with a smile.

"Thanks. Hope everything goes well with your compositions, Amy."

She gave the fox a hug and ruffled his fur, making him grin. "No worries, kiddo. I'll see you in a few!"

"Right."

In the meantime, Rouge the Bat had already made her way to the Kingdom of Soleanna, a constitutional monarchy in the heart of Europe. Its current Head of State was a young woman, twenty-two years old – Princess Elise the Third.

Rouge wouldn't have minded if the girl didn't seem so timid and easily manipulated. Fortunately for her, the advisors were mostly female, fiercely loyal, and all had at least a Master's degree in their area of study from the Royal University of Soleanna, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world. That princess was surrounded by several incredibly intelligent people who didn't back down when challenged.

"Good for her. At least she gets to do this on her own terms."

Soleanna kept itself up to high standards, as evidenced by the castle that could be seen for miles before one even got near the main hub city, known as New City.

Rouge travelled the streets, scooping up information wherever and whenever she could. Although she was in the area on 'official' business, most of it was a clever ruse to keep her superiors off of her back. Shadow also helped, not bothering to question her actions but promising to keep them out of sight as much as possible with his own clearance. She told him he didn't need to do it, but he was insistent on acting.

Well, she didn't mind it. She just hoped that he didn't get into any trouble in the end for covering for her.

"From what I hear, they're going to have a run-through of the new equipment that's been built for the military…I could get in easily enough with a quick call. Question is, why not have our own scientists and engineers take this on?" Rouge looked at the e-mail on her phone, sent from Tails. It had a list of the specifications of the parts that he had supposedly completed, and the parts that Soleanna had prepared recently.

"Doesn't make any sense…these specs are way lower than the kid's are," she mused. "Can't be just politics. G.U.N doesn't settle for anything but the best, especially with the Commander in his mood lately…and by lately I mean the last few months with Sonic free. Hm…" She tapped a finger on her phone thoughtfully. "I wonder how Big Blue's doing? It was fun hanging with him the last time," she said to herself with a smile. "Hopefully, he's out of any real danger…"

She sighed and continued tracking down her leads. As long as the pieces came together in time, everything would be okay…hopefully.

* * *

><p>"Great day…wonderful day…fantastic day…"<p>

Sonic ran through the long halls of the ice castle, dodging the spears of sharp black ice as they rose in his path. He hopped over a jagged wall and then quickly slid underneath a sheet of icicles that crashed down as he flew past.

"Marvellous day…awesome day…superb day…"

A storm of swirling ice followed him as he ran, tearing apart the corridor, and leaving no chance for escape. He didn't want to risk attacking anything made of the black ice until he got something more from it than he currently had.

The chasing ice suddenly stopped as Sonic reached a large clearing…a very, very large clearing. It looked like a massive, frozen over lake. And of course, it was pitch black. The entrance behind him collapsed and sealed itself away.

"Brilliant. And now we wait for it to get a bit worse...right about...here."

Something started to rise from the iced-over lake, smashing upwards through the frozen barrier and roaring loudly, shaking the castle to its foundations. A giant beast with three heads, all with large, sharpened teeth and blood-red eyes. Two gargantuan paws rested on the ice around it as it sniffed out Sonic and snarled at him, the thunderous growls bouncing off the walls of the closed space and hitting the hedgehog's ears. He winced slightly and gave the three-headed dog a dismissive look.

"Cerberus…_really_? Is this the best that you've got?"

As if on cue, large icicles shot out of the beast's back, and a thick coating of ice covered its body. The walls were covered in sharp icicles, ready to skewer anything that came across them. The floor was slick with black ice, and jets of flame came out of the beast's nostrils as it growled at the small hedgehog standing before it.

Sonic stroked his chin thoughtfully and then nodded, taking up a fighting stance.

"It'll do."


	4. Curse of the Black Ice, Act 1

a/n: Another chapter. I feel good about this one, and I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did writing. Thanks all the love and support, really helped keep me going.

* * *

><p>"I welcome you to the Kingdom of Soleanna. How shall I refer to you, good doctor?"<p>

"For better or for worse...you may call me Doctor Eggman, scientist for the Guardian Units of Nations."

The young woman merely nodded in silence, seated on the elegant throne that the rulers of Soleanna had used for centuries. Long, flowing brown hair framed her face and spilled down past her shoulders, a hint of fiery red visible in them from the glow of the lights above. The white gown she wore stopped at her knees and seemed to shimmer in the glow of the room.

A red carpet stretched down the center of the grand hall, dividing it neatly into two among thick stone pillars that held up the roof in style. Elaborate patterns weaved their way throughout the area, from the gilding on the windows to the artistry painted on the ceilings. Rich colours filled the space, brilliant reds, golds, and yellows making their presence known.

"Very well. I have heard of your many...exploits," the woman said bluntly. "And of your reform since your last attempt to acquire territories by force."

"That is correct, madam."

"The project you currently are a part of is code-named _Thor_, am I correct?"

"That is indeed correct," the rotund scientist responded. Five years had passed since his capture in Empire City, after being taken down by Sonic one last time. A daring game of chicken with the blue hedgehog had resulted in his defeat, but an unexpected turn helped to keep him out a prison cell.

That of course did _not_ sit well with certain persons, but he paid them no mind for the most part, instead choosing to take a more relaxed approach to life. He began to work out, somewhat, and actually shed a few pounds. His rotund figure was kept intact from the years before, along with the large moustache that seemed to define him over the ages.

"Your colleague is one Miles Prower, I read. You used to be sworn enemies at one point in time."

"That is also correct."

"And you do not harbour any suspicions towards that fact?"

"None, madam."

The Princess gave a haughty laugh at that. "Doctor Eggman, I may be young, but I am certainly not as naive as many people think. You've been put into check, haven't you? It's very plain to see from all of the paperwork."

"You read all of that?" Eggman said with an eyebrow raised.

"I know that most people don't, but they end up missing out on some juicy gossip," she replied with a wink, blue eyes sparkling. "I like to be thorough in either case. Where is your colleague now?"

"He should be here in a moment's time."

"In that case, shall we move to a more comfortable place? The garden should do well, and I imagine that you'd like to sit and stay a while."

"At your leisure, Princess."

With a slight nod and a wave of her hand, Princess Elise and Doctor Eggman were escorted to the palace's grand garden, where bright flowers and strong trees were in abundance. Several gardeners were at work as they usually were, maintaining the property on the Princess' behalf - though she was no stranger to work herself, kneeling into the soil alongside her help whenever she found the time.

"Something to eat, Doctor?"

"Well, if it's not too much trouble."

"Egg salad sandwich, extra mayonnaise?"

The scientist chuckled at that. "You have a superb intelligence network, Princess."

"I try," Elise said with a smile. "Bring the good doctor his sandwich, with a large soda. I'll have a glass of iced tea," she reported to the butler nearby. He nodded silently and went on his way.

At about the same time, the aforementioned Miles Prower, better known as Tails, was ushered into the garden where Eggman and Elise sat, around a glass table. Tails took a seat between them both.

"It's an honour to meet you, Princess Elise."

"No, the honour's certainly mine," she said with a smile. "You travelled the world with Sonic the Hedgehog, did you not?"

"I did, a couple years back. We fought my esteemed colleague over here," he said while nodding towards Eggman, "and got a few fights under our belts."

"Hm...might I ask a personal question?"

"Uh...yeah. I don't mind at all. What do you want to know, ma'am?"

"How was it that you and Sonic met?" Elise asked, resting her head on top of her hands. "I'm sure it was a complicated story, no?"

"Not really. We met on West Side Island. I wasn't exactly Mister Popularity back then and I thought Sonic was a cool guy, so I started following him around the island. He let me tag along after a while, and when...the, uh, good doctor was trying to...I guess, how you would say it...conduct a 'hostile takeover'," he said, ignoring the eye-rolls from the man beside him, "I ended up helping out. We've been together ever since."

"You're very fond of him, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Tails said proudly.

"Mm...I'm sure he's proud to have a loyal friend like you. I know I would be."

"Wow...thanks."

"Such bonds are hard to come by…loyalty, honour, sacrifice…all in the name of what's good and pure in this world," Elise went on, staring into the distance. "All to protect the people and things that are so precious to us. Our bonds define us in a way…the ones we have with each other, and with this world of ours. There's so much I want to be able to transform while I'm still here. So much I need to be doing."

"I think this project will be the first step, Princess," Tails said. Eggman nodded in agreement.

"Yes, the ability to take on those who threaten our security at an even faster rate than before should help in creating a more stable world."

"I thank you both for your insights. In fact, it's the reason that I've called you both here. Men of courage, ambition, and valour are so hard to find nowadays. Doctor Eggman, you've proven yourself to be a strong-willed person, never backing down from a challenge or lying down after a defeat. Resilience in any situation is a wonderful quality. And Miles, you've shown yourself to be wise beyond your years, very courageous, and pure of heart. Both of you will be needed to complete this project, I'm sure of it. I'll be sending only the best of my people to your homeland. I ask you to teach them as well as you can."

"Yes ma'am," the two said in unison.

"Oh, and one more thing…remember to play nice, okay?" Elise said with a smile.

Tails and Eggman sneered at each other, Elise giggling in the background. _Easier said than done,_ they thought at the same time.

* * *

><p>"Have you found anything yet?"<p>

"Nothing yet."

Kiriko and Marketa were inside of the local archives, a large, cold room with books laid out on several different tables in a somewhat organized fashion. Well, organized if one knew where to look in the first place.

The shelves were no better, with ancient tomes and scrolls lined up in a seemingly random fashion. The two had been in the room for hours with no luck.

"You're sure what we're looking for is in here?" Kiriko asked.

"It has to be. I don't think the elders would put something like this anywhere else. This is the best place to keep tabs on secrets and all of that."

"But what are we looking for?"

"A book, I think," Marketa replied, leafing through a small paperback.

"Are you sure?"

The question made Marketa stop in her tracks and think for a moment. It could very well _not_ be a book. But then, what would they be…

"Oh…_oh._ I get it, now…"

"Marketa?"

"Hold on a moment, Kiriko." Marketa walked around the room, seemingly looking for something important. She stopped in front of a small bookshelf, her necklace glowing brightly. "There. Has to be there."

"What is…?"

"What we're looking for. This shelf…it isn't real. I think there's something behind it, or even inside of it."

"Okay. Stand back, then." Kiriko drew her katana and sliced the fake bookshelf into pieces, causing it to crumble in a mess of painted stone. Marketa fished a gold compass out of the rubble.

"It's pointing in one direction…and it's not north," she said.

"I had a map open on one of the tables," Kiriko responded, rushing over to the spot. "Now, if that direction is…I don't…believe this…"

Staring at the map, Marketa watched as Kiriko traced a finger in the direction that the compass indicated. Right in its path was the village of New Holoska, built only recently.

"The new village?"

"Sonic and I didn't even see the effects of the black ice until we reached the outskirts. The village was totally unaffected, and there's a reason for it. We just haven't found it yet."

"So we have to go there," Marketa concluded.

"That's right. And we need to hurry. This is getting worse by the second."

Pieces of the ceiling dropped down onto the open book, causing the two to look up. The black ice was spreading through a crack and tearing it apart, along with the rest of the room as it started to consume it.

"Oh, boy…"

"Definitely no time to lose," Kiriko muttered to herself. "I assume you'll want to get to the new village, Marketa?"

"A road trip never hurt anyone…but this place definitely will if we don't get moving!"

"My thoughts exactly."

Grabbing the compass and the map book, Kiriko and Marketa ran out of the crumbling archives.

* * *

><p>"Come on…I hope this isn't the best you've got to offer."<p>

Sonic stood before a weakened Cerberus, its icy armour nearly chipped away to nothing as it snarled at Sonic. It breathed a jet of flame at the hedgehog, who easily dodged it and jumped into the air.

"Might as well end it, then."

Launching himself forward through the air, Sonic smashed through the beast's chest and out the other side, causing it to crack apart from the center outwards. He turned from his position on the other side to watch Cerberus crumble into ice shards, only to notice that the ice beneath his feet was cracking apart quickly as well.

He sped out of dodge, but the ice caught him by one of the sleeves of his jumpsuit and pulled him into the cold, black waters below.

Sonic assumed they would be cold, anyways. He opened his eyes to what he had expected in one sense: a world of darkness. But he didn't expect to be dry, floating in midair, and able to breathe freely.

"Just what the heck is this stuff…?"

His head turned to the sound of footsteps, increasing rapidly in pace. Running, it sounded like.

No, more specifically…it sounded like _his_ running. He caught a glimpse of himself running away, a lone figure left in the darkness behind him. Yes…someone he knew very well to this day.

"Amy…"

The same dress she wore from years ago, coupled with stylish red boots. Nicely patterned pink quills and sparkling white gloves. It was her, but from a different time…maybe a different place?

Her head was hung low, as if she were depressed about something. She spoke softly, but it was quiet enough that Sonic could hear her from his position.

"You…always do this to me."

He neared her out of curiosity, and saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You always…always hurt me. I don't know why I keep chasing after you. Why I keep supporting you the way that I do. Is this just an obsession, now? Just me going through the motions, because I don't know how to do anything else? Is this – chasing you to the end of the world and back – all that I am, now? God, all I ever see is your back these days. You don't surprise me by staying put for once, taking life in like everyone else does. Always on the move. Always…always living your dream."

"…"

She slowly sunk to her knees, tracing one finger in the nonexistent earth below.

"I feel brushed aside, like an annoyance. Like I'm just a bother and I'm always in your way. Do you feel so high and mighty that you don't have to tell me when I'm not wanted? Do you feel like you can just run away from me, and I'll just get over it? I'm not as blissfully stupid as you think, Sonic. I can't just brush this all off like it's nothing. It's something. It's something that hurts me, every time I see you. I thought…maybe if I just kept smiling, just kept being by your side, that you'd notice me. All of me."

She shook her head.

"But your eyes are stuck somewhere else. Everything's more important than I am. Everyone's more capable than I am. All I am to you is the damsel in distress. The girl that the hero rescues constantly. The publicity stunt. The news reel. Have you ever asked yourself, 'what about how Amy feels? Am I upsetting her at all?' or anything to that degree? What a dumb question, Amy Rose – oh, and I'm _full_ of those! – because you know the answer already. I don't have any feelings, or real thoughts. I'm just a stupid, psychotic little stalker. I'm just a waste of time to you. But Amy, isn't it wrong to make such assumptions? Isn't it wrong to think that he has no compassion for you?"

She laughed darkly at that.

"Has he proven me wrong yet?"

Sonic felt his heart sink into his sneakers.

"God…love is…so crazy. All of that…and I still want to see you again. I really do. Maybe I _am_ stupid and naïve. Maybe I _do_ have a few screws loose. Because I keep dreaming, I keep wishing that one day, I'll turn around and you'll be there. Waiting for me, and only me. I keep hoping that one day, you'll know how much I love you. How much I've always loved you."

Amy stood up, brushing off her dress before walking into the darkness beyond.

"I wish…that I had more than these dreams…"

Sonic was left floating in his silence, the unchanging darkness surrounding him. He stared blankly out into the distance, a melancholy taking over his soul as he replayed Amy's words, over and over in his head. He could remember the day clearly, the words he had said to her.

"_Sorry, Ames. I've got places to go, things to do, you know? We'll hang out another time, I promise._"

"_But…Sonic…"_

"_Hey, have I ever let you down yet? I'll see you soon!"_

He had brushed it off, that split second in his memory when he saw her expression shatter like glass. Too busy thinking ahead.

Too busy not thinking of her.

"I hate this place…"

Warm tears started to run down his face as he closed his eyes.

"But I hate myself a lot more."


	5. Curse of the Black Ice, Act 2

a/n: And up it goes. Hope you all enjoy. As usual, taking questions and comments. Thanks.

* * *

><p>"A proposition, Princess?"<p>

"Yes, Doctor. A very interesting one, you might say."

The initial meeting concluded, Elise asked Eggman to talk with her further as Tails left for the day.

"And what might that be?" he asked curiously.

"Project _Thor_ is made up of many different parts, no? The public is aware of the combat units being built collectively by G.U.N and Soleanna, but there's obviously something else going on here. There are, in the project data that I've gone over, several sketches for a downgraded version of the unit, made for portable use…but then again, _downgraded_ isn't the right word, is it, Doctor Eggman?"

The scientist leaned back in his chair, playing it cool. "I might know what you're talking about, but I'll need some more detail, madam."

She gave him another laugh, only this one seemed to be laced with a darker tone. "Come, now…I think we both know what the score is. You're not satisfied with your current situation, and I'm not satisfied with what I have on my end. On your worst days, you're worth at least ten thousand of the most brilliant minds here. I truly mean that," she said, not hiding her sincerity. "And that's why I want your help, as well as to help you. I can give you what you need."

"Are you planning to wipe out the United Federation?"

"I could have done that when I was a teenager, Doctor," she said dismissively. "It's in no small part due to Miles' handiwork that they're at their current level. And yours, of course. No, I'm not planning to wipe out anyone unless they present a threat to my people and my nation. I said that I wanted to change the world for the better, did I not?"

"You did. So tell me, what _is _your angle, Princess Elise?"

She calmly sipped from her glass of iced tea before continuing. "In a few months' time, do you know what important event will be happening in the kingdom?"

"You'd have to be sleeping under a rock to not know. Your coronation ceremony is of course the answer."

"Yes. I'm finally ready to take up my responsibility as a leader, and I already have great ambitions from that perch of mine. I'll need some help along the way, and…well, I'll have a few powers granted to me as a result of my ascension. If I so desired, I could make a man rich beyond his wildest dreams…or," she said with a look towards the Doctor, "I could break a man's shackles with just a single word…"

One eyebrow went up at the suggestion. "Break shackles, you say? And for what purpose?"

"There are threats beyond our sight, things that we cannot reach with our current restrictions. Someone like you could be very useful in helping to change this world, and make it a much better place for all."

"And what makes you think that _this_ man you speak of would even _want_ to join your crusade?"

"I'm not sure that he would stray completely from his previous life of crime and tyranny, at least without very good incentive…but I want to hope that he would, if only because I asked."

"Subordination is not my forte, Princess," he replied bluntly.

"Forgive my rudeness, then…"

"Bah," Eggman said with a hand wave. "don't worry yourself about it. You certainly did not mean it that way."

"I do not ask you to betray your current loyalties for my cause. But, if you ever needed a bit more freedom in your life, Doctor…I could provide it for you, at a small enough cost. My aims are to wipe out the darkness from this world, take away the pain that plagues it, and then unify it as best I could. Not by hostile takeover, or threats, but by the goodness of our hearts and our determinations. I know it sounds naïve of me…but I think this could work, somehow…someday soon. I really believe so," Elise said, confidence filling her eyes.

"This so-called 'peaceful revolution'…why should I consider it?"

"Do you have dreams, Doctor? Other than world conquest, I mean?"

"I do, of course. A man cannot live on dreams of absolute rule alone."

"I will lend you my ear, as many times as you wish. Give me just one of those dreams, and I will place it in the palm of your hand. No matter the cost I may incur as a result."

"Hm," the scientist said, tenting his hands. "A good answer, I must admit. I…will think about this."

Elise nodded. "I thank you for simply considering my thoughts…"

"It was certainly a pleasure talking with you, Princess. I must be going, however." Eggman handed the Princess a small flash drive. "That should have the information you've asked for."

"I'll be sure to read it. Gentlemen, please escort the good Doctor out. I will see you soon, I hope?"

"If you so choose," Eggman said with a bow.

"Very well, then. Goodbye for now."

Elise took another sip of her drink, and let out a sigh. "Proposing peacekeeping work to an ex-criminal and madman…Elise, are you yourself crazy?"

She stared at the skies above in her thoughts. "Perhaps I am, just a little bit. But I know what I want. If I can change one person, and use them to help me change the world, wouldn't that be great? Or…is there something deeper going on?"

Something stirred inside her just then…a feeling, like fire in her chest. It felt hot and made her head feel light.

"It's been getting worse lately, hasn't it? What does it mean, exactly? Changing the world, seeking out the truth…those somehow don't feel like _my_ ambitions, almost like someone else's, even though I've felt so strongly about those things my entire life. It's all so strange…so why do I want to fulfill those dreams so badly?"

She rose from her chair and started back inside.

"It looks like I'll figure it all out when I get to my destination."

* * *

><p>"What...just what is this place, exactly? There are so many memories here...so many..."<p>

Sonic continued floating through the darkness, feeling himself get colder by the minute. He had been taken through several memories of the past, experiencing the emotions from those he knew so well. Everyone's anger and disdain for his words and actions, their thoughts and feelings towards him. If it were his past self...well, he didn't know if he could bear it then. But now, he knew he had to move on, even if there was more pain to experience from those stinging thoughts.

He had come upon several of Eggman's own musings regarding him...the anger and venom was more than Sonic had known from the scientist, even as they had fought so bitterly in the past. Pent up frustration and bitterness stung the hedgehog's ears as he listened on.

_"That...that Sonic...I can't believe it. I don't know how I put up with this. I don't know why I keep dealing with him. It's just a game to him, just a little fun to destroy the things that I've worked hard on. I almost pity the little rodent. He knows nothing but how to ruin the lives of others. Selfish, arrogant, and insensitive. Does he really think people like him for his personality? He's just a good little tool, and every tool has its breaking point. We'll see when he reaches his soon enough."_

Eggman's comments had stung, but the thoughts from those he cared about...those were worse.

_"Honestly...he never thinks to stop and act like I'm his partner, not even once. I'm just the tag-along to him, even though I'm the one who handles all the technical stuff. You know, the stuff that saves your behind every time there's real trouble. Would it kill you to be actually grateful, Sonic?"_

_"Look at him, smiling like an idiot over there. He's got no idea what it's like to have a responsibility like this. It's all just fun and games to him. Goofing off like it's no problem. Well, Sonic...it is a problem, and I don't appreciate having to clean up your mess. Not like you care, anyways..."_

_"You talk about pain and loss like it's nothing, even those who have lost so much...how do you live with yourself? Life isn't a damn party. We lose loved ones, and you couldn't care less as long as you get to run around all day. People like you disgust me..."_

_"That cocky attitude is so plastic. I do wish that he'd try a new schtick...then again, he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, so maybe I'm expecting a bit much..."_

_"You're never considerate of anyone's feelings! I thought that you were dead, and you just laugh it off like nothing? Even though I couldn't sleep for days, or even eat much...I was thinking of you, but obviously you were only thinking of yourself. Not surprising. Why do I bother chasing someone like you?"_

_"I didn't think anyone could be such an obnoxious ham..."_

_"Does he not know the meaning of silence?"_

_"Free as the wind and twice as loopy..."_

"Huh...getting cold..."

He could feel himself starting to slow down, his limbs getting heavier by the moment. The joint wasn't getting any friendlier, either.

"Is this...what everyone thinks of me? I shouldn't be surprised...my attitude probably wasn't appealing to too many people all that time ago. Wasn't so considerate towards others, I guess...or something..."

It still hurt to hear everything, though. He had been here for hours, listening to these messages, wondering where they came from. Along the way, he had passed some other thoughts, though...and that made him wonder about what this place really was for.

An young mother despairing in her poverty.

A foreman enraged by his employees' slacking.

An office worker laid off in tough times.

A teenager bullied at school.

A girl abused by her mother.

A father separated from his children.

"I don't know any of these people. So it was never about me, like I thought earlier."

More and more voices started to filter past Sonic, and he listened to them, heard the yells and wails and screams of them as they went on, one by one.

"There's so much despair here. So much anger and pain, hatred and suffering. Almost like all of the world's troubles have come to rest here. I can even understand some of these languages that I've never heard before. This is like an endless pit of all the darkness in this world, if I had to put it in some way. I can hear...evil thoughts, too. It's so scary...but it's surreal at the same time. Never felt like this before..."

The realization hit him just then. The ice...it was pitch black. His limbs felt like they were frozen, for some reason. And each time he felt himself sink into the darkness, he got colder and colder. It started with that scene with Amy and continued onwards.

"The black ice...no, that's unreal. Don't tell me that all the darkness here...dammit. And something like this doesn't stop growing, does it? In no time, it'll spread past Holoska and onto the rest of the world. More of those feelings will come up as a result, and this thing will only get fed more and more. It's not even giving anything back in the equation...all it'll do is take the planet and make it a frozen wasteland."

Sonic looked around, seeing nothing but darkness as usual.

"So I'm trapped, just like those villagers. That's great," Sonic muttered. "Which makes the million-dollar question an obvious one...how the hell do you get out of this mess?"

* * *

><p>Rouge came to a stop at one of the small cafes sprinkled around the entrance to Kingdom Valley, deciding that she had done enough legwork for the time being. She ordered a latte and sat down at one of the cozy tables, catching up on the latest events via a local newspaper. It was predictably abuzz about the Princess' coronation ceremony in the upcoming months, but there was almost as much talk surrounding G.U.N's newest pet project, which was a joint operation with Soleanna.<p>

The whole thing seemed very much off to her for some reason, and she had voiced her concerns to Shadow at one point.

_"I don't get it. Why reveal so much information on your newest weapon, especially with your enemies watching so closely? Can't be just a scare tactic. Even in those cases, some stuff is purposely kept hidden until the very last moment."_

_"So you've noticed it as well, huh?"_

_"Yeah, I have...Shadow, what could this be about?"_

_"I have no clue myself. Even with Project Shadow, I found that there were a few people outside of the fold that had access to some vital information. Many things were obviously contained, but not to such an extreme extent. What upsets me the most is that the kid doesn't even have full disclosure on this thing."_

_"You can't be serious...Tails? But isn't he one of the key guys on the damn thing?"_

_"Hence why it upsets me."_

_"...You think this 'Thor' isn't what the suits make it out to be?"_

_"I don't have to guess at that."_

_"Does it have anything to do with...you know..."_

_"You mean Sonic."_

_"..."_

_"It might. We just have to trust Espio to monitor the situation closely. Our mission should bring us answers to that question. As for your own...I don't know exactly what it might uncover. But if you have to uncover it, well. Pretty obvious that it's nothing good."_

"He's probably right," Rouge concluded. "Chances are that something's rotten if you have to dig it up like this." Her eyes then caught sight of something moving through the air, just over the stone buildings nearby. Putting down the newspaper, she grabbed her coffee cup and took off herself, catching up with the figure as he looked over his wrist computer.

"Hey."

"Hey. Didn't expect to see you here, Rouge."

"Same with you, Tails. Well, not in this part of town, at least. What's going on?"

"Not much," he said, shutting off the virtual window in front of him. "I was just going over some things with the development team. Kingdom Valley has a couple research facilities. There's at least one for every region, though."

"You don't say?"

"It's pretty cool. I'm guessing that this country has a lot of resources to go towards scientific research and the like. It's a virtual utopia over here, you know? Back home, someone's usually down on their luck everywhere you look. Here, pretty much everyone has a job, 'cause there are so many available."

"That is interesting. I guess that's one benefit of the system of government in these parts," Rouge said, sipping on her latte.

"Probably. Hey, Rouge…can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead, darling."

"I'm getting this really strange feeling, like just a nervous thing. It's about Project Thor. Do you think…something's really off here?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, besides the business with Sonic, something's just not adding up here. The data I'm working with, it all adds up in terms of numbers and patterns, but when I look over everything, it just seems _wrong_. Like I'm totally missing something, and it's right in front of me."

"Might it have to do with Eggman, sweetie?"

"I'm not that worried about him right now. If it came down to any trouble, Elise would lend him a hand, if only because he'd be a great asset to her. She's an advocate for world peace, among other things. With him, she'd have the means to pursue that goal more efficiently, so she's probably pitched him an offer by now."

Rouge blinked at that. "Wow. Didn't figure her to be so aggressive."

"There's a lot that people don't know about the Princess."

"But that thing's still nagging you, is it?"

"I think it will for a really long time, Rouge. Anyways…I think I'd better go."

"Alright. Take care, sweetie. And don't strain yourself, okay?"

"I'll try not to. See you, Rouge." She waved and went down to land. He flew further on, landing on a rooftop to give his tails a bit of rest.

"Just a moment here…I'll send some mail to Amy, just so she knows that I'm okay. Can't have her fretting, can we?"

_Miles…_

His head whipped around to the sound of the voice, but found nobody. Suspicious, he scanned the area and found a large heat source behind a nearby chimney.

_Miles…_

"Whoever that is, this isn't funny. Come on out, or I'll make you."

_Aw…don't be so angry, dear._

"Where the heck…" He realized the voice was coming from inside of his head. This was…telepathy. But how? Who?

_I've got a present for you, my darling. All you have to do is…_

He raised his hands in a defensive position, ready for an incoming attack as he inched closer to the target. "You can just try and mess with me."

_Miles. _

"Turn around."

He spun and felt something hit his chest. A black…sphere of something…just went into his body. Now he was starting to feel weird. Really weird.

"What did…you…"

"I'm going to have you realize your true potential, Miles. Just you wait and see, okay? Don't run away from who you are, from what you feel. Embrace the darkness in your heart, and draw your power from it…"

"Dammit…"

"You won't be disappointed, I know it."

Tails stumbled weakly to his knees, grabbing onto the person in front of him. Soft, silky fabric slipped out of his fingers as he fell unconscious.

"You…are…"

"Sweet dreams, my dear Miles."

The stranger smiled.

"We'll be together soon enough. I promise."


	6. Curse of the Black Ice, Act 3

a/n: Back again. I have something important to let you know, too. See, I made an error back in ch. 3 – it pertained to Elise's age (16). I had already elapsed the ages of the entire original cast by five years, so that's why.

In Sonic 2006, Elise is 17. Her correct age is, as a result, 22. I made the correction earlier, and I couldn't just leave it alone because I had her make a few comments that put it out of place.

Anyways, thanks for all the support, and I hope you enjoy this one.

* * *

><p>"Felt like…I got run over…"<p>

Tails rose from his slumber, slowly standing as his head throbbed.

"What the heck…happened?" He was still on the rooftop, unable to remember the past few minutes before he blacked out.

He _had_ blacked out…right?

"Okay…I was talking to Rouge, and then…I got here. No, something's not right at all. But what?"

The fox pondered it as his three tails swished about behind him.

"I think I should just get back to the…what…wait."

What?

"I must be going nuts. Why is it that I can feel…three tails? I only have…" He moved his tails to where he could see them. "…three tails. Uh…huh."

Accessing his wrist computer, he made a call to the Chaotix Detective Agency in Station Square.

"This is Vector of the Chaotix Detective Agency. What can I do for ya?"

"It's Tails. Listen, I need you guys to check something out for me. See if there's any kind of chemical or substance or…_something_ that could possibly cause someone to mutate at an accelerated rate. I need you to do that for me as soon as possible."

"Whoa, whoa! Mutation? What's goin' on, kid?"

"I don't have much time to explain," Tails said, adjusting himself to the darkness around him. It was now night in Soleanna…how long was he out for, exactly?

"Give me somethin' to latch onto, at least!"

"Okay, I've grown a third tail and I have a memory gap that spans a few hours. That's the gist of it."

"A third tail?" Vector repeated, catching the attention of the resident shinobi nearby.

"Third tail…you're talking about Tails?" Espio asked from his meditation spot in the far corner.

"Yeah. Kid's saying that he has three tails now! Isn't that wild?"

"Let me speak to him."

"Okay, you're the boss. Here," he said, handing him the phone.

"Tails, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Do you know anything about this, Espio?"

"I might. But you must answer some questions for me."

Tails nodded in response. "Go ahead."

"Have you been…under any stress lately?"

"A little, with this project coming up."

"Do you have any lingering anger over past events?"

"Yeah, I do. What's this about?"

"Be patient-"

"I don't have that sort of time," Tails cut in, frustrated. "If you know what's wrong, tell me."

"It's not that simple."

"Don't play games with me! It's simple, you either know what's wrong with me, or you don't! This isn't complicated at all!"

"You need to be calm."

"I _am_ calm," Tails snapped back.

"So you say."

"**So ****I **_**know**_**.**"

Espio sighed inwardly as the conversation started to go nowhere. "It might be connected to Sonic."

"How?"

"Whatever happened to you might be someone's way of trying to get to him, get inside his head. Now, listen to me closely. This phenomenon has to do with Japanese folklore, specifically the _kitsune_. But it's not just that…there's something else. A negative presence that just might consume you and drive you insane if you're not careful. The _youkai_ or demon side of this transformation must not catch you unawares. Do you hear me?"

"_Youkai_…" That name rang through Tails' ears, having heard it so many times through his childhood. A demon. A freak. That was what he was to everyone, for such a long time.

Was he becoming one for real, now? Had they been right in their insults all along?

"Tails. Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you fine, stop asking so incessantly," he growled. "Do you have anything else to say?"

Espio held his tongue for the time being. The boy wasn't himself, he understood that.

"Wait," he asked. "Is it likely that I'm simply possessed?"

"No. It is not the case."

"Can't believe this…I'm turning into a monster, or something."

"You still have time, Tails. Listen well. You must suppress your rage and calm your mind in this time. Otherwise, the darkness in your heart will corrupt the powers you have gained."

Tails blinked. "You're saying that this could go either way?"

"Yes. It normally takes hundreds of years for a kitsune to grow an additional tail, but you've managed to do it at this kind pace…the other six shouldn't be far behind. If you can control this power, focus it, you can make something good out of this."

The fox snorted. "Easier said than done."

"…Is it possible for you to return to Spagonia?"

"I'm due in a day or two."

"I meant as soon as possible."

"Why?"

"Amy Rose has a way with the heart, it seems. Perhaps her company can help stabilize you."

"You _do_ know that G.U.N is-"

"This problem is quite a bit bigger than anything involving G.U.N. Their significance is but a speck of dust compared to what you could become, Tails. I know of the legends, good and bad. I ask you to seek counsel in Amy, for everyone's sake."

"I'll think about it," he replied gruffly before hanging up on the chameleon. Espio absorbed the conversation as best as he could before handing the phone back to Vector.

"Sounds like trouble," the crocodile commented.

"An understatement. I'm leaving for Spagonia."

"When, _now_?"

"No time like the present," Espio said. "Contact Rouge, she's in the same city. Then Shadow."

"You think the egghead's behind this?"

"…He has tampered with forces of nature before, but this…he's not foolish enough to attempt this. Not with the military breathing down his neck and Tails eager to take him down several more pegs. No, this is someone else's prerogative."

_Question is…whose could it possibly be this time?_

* * *

><p>Sonic wandered through the darkness, finally spotting light in the distance. He moved towards it, hearing the same painful words yelled at him over and over. People he had crossed paths with once or twice, then some that he knew a little better. Then acquaintances, then friends…and then those he cared about the most.<p>

He was surrounded by the ones he knew, the light just beyond the makeshift barrier. He was shivering, feeling his temperature drop faster and faster by the second.

"I've…gotta get out…"

"What's the matter, Sonic? Can't do it on your own?" Tails mocked. "I thought that you were a super hero! You can do anything if you try, so come on! Start _trying_, why don't you?"

"Dammit, Tails…help me out…"

"Help yourself, _big __brother_."

His strength draining, he fell to one knee, feeling his limbs turn to ice.

"How does it feel to be alone, with only your thoughts?" He struggled to raise his head, meeting Amy's eyes. "How does it feel to be abandoned and on your own? The cold's getting to you, isn't it?"

"…"

"Well, that's too bad. I suppose that you'll freeze at this rate. It could have been different, but you chose this…"

"Amy…"

"Goodbye, Sonic."

She turned and started to walk away, leaving him shivering in the darkness.

_I'm not…gonna make it, am I? Can't believe this…thought I had it licked! But…_

Gritting his teeth, Sonic rose slowly to his feet, his legs stiff and uncomfortable.

_This isn't the way this'll end…I promise you that much! I…don't…die easy!_

"Hey…hey!"

She stopped and turned for a moment, looking down on him with contempt.

"What do you want? You're as good as dead…to me, and to everyone else."

"Maybe so…but I've got somethin' to say, Amy." He lurched towards her. "I've been insensitive. I've said…some hurtful things. I haven't been the greatest guy, and yeah, you'd probably be way better off with somebody else."

"Is there a point, Sonic?"

"You're darn right there's a point," he replied boldly. "The point is that I've made mistakes, and the past may not have been great…but the future is something I can work with. I acknowledge who I am, but I ain't gonna change just because you say some words that make me feel bad!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. At that moment, the rest of his 'friends' re-created the circle and started to pester him with insults once more.

"All of you…**shut****up!**"

Reluctantly, they all did so, backing away from him slowly.

"I've made mistakes. I've been cocky, rude, self-centred, obnoxious, forgetful, and all that stuff! I admit that I've had darkness in my heart, but I won't let it define who I am! I won't let it take over me!"

Sonic felt himself getting warmer and warmer with each word that came out of his mouth. A raging fire was burning inside of his soul, and it was only growing, getting stronger. The shame, the guilt, the hatred and fear…it wasn't holding him down, as long as he kept himself going. The strength to overcome one's own darkness…the strength to grow and move forward! That's what would break this curse!

"I'm not gonna sit here and cry because of what happened in the past! I'm never changing who I am, no matter what happens or what anyone says! I will grow! I will be a light for all who feel trapped by the darkness in our world! I am, and I always will be...!"

He felt the flames rush over his body, warming him to the core. All of the shadows of his friends stood in shock…all except one, who smiled with pride.

"Well done, my love..."

He gave Amy his trademark grin, the light flowing off him and illuminating the darkness.

"The one! The only! Sonic the Hedgehog! Take it or leave it, 'cause this is who I am!"

The layer of ice over his body started to crack, and then exploded outwards, leaving the hedgehog smouldering as he stood on top of the icy black lake.

He was back in the real world, at last.

"That was…scary."

Flexing his hands, he brushed the pieces of ice from his jumpsuit as he pondered his next move. This couldn't spread any further, and he had to find a way to release those already trapped. However, from what he had experienced…

Although he felt that he should rest after those visions, there wasn't any time. Suppressing his jumpy feelings for now would have to do.

"I hope I'm wrong about this, too. Only one way to find out."

Sonic drew his sword, a sharp current of wind twisting around it. The walls boxed him in. Well, for the time being.

Change would come quickly enough.

"Let's get it started."

* * *

><p>"So, this is my team."<p>

Shadow sat in one of the conference rooms of the G.U.N headquarters, leafing through the file folders that he had received hours earlier. Two members of the agency became part of the current trio of himself, Rouge, and E-123 Omega.

The door on the far side of the room opened, revealing a redheaded woman and a black-haired man, both dressed in G.U.N's black military attire.

"Shadow," the woman said coolly, grabbing the hedgehog's attention.

"General Testarossa. You're back early."

"The bad guys slipped up. We made them pay the price. That's all it was."

Shadow smirked. "You never could go easy on anyone, could you? Play to win, as always."

"You know me too well," she said with a soft smile, brushing back her long, red hair.

"Master Sergeant, good to see you," he said to the black-haired man, who looked identical to the woman standing beside him. They both had striking pairs of green eyes, which made sense seeing as they were twins. General Mariah Testarossa and her brother, Master Sergeant Enzo Testarossa.

"You as well, Shadow. Heard about the new mission," he replied, his voice light as usual.

"Yeah. Going over the notes now. You two staying?"

"No, not for long," Mariah said. "Just wanted to pick your brain for something."

"Shoot."

"Any information on this Thor thingy would be nice. I know that this mission involves Sonic, and subsequently that."

"Wait, you don't know either? And you're sure that Sonic and Thor are connected, now? I was only theorizing at first, but…" Shadow trailed off, his thoughts racing. "But…Mariah, you're a three-star!"

"That's why I asked you. You have just about the highest clearance in the building for anyone not named Abraham Tower." Her eyes narrowed. "Shadow, this is serious. I don't like being given the run-around."

"If my sister's blocked from full access, and she's a three-star," Enzo said, smoothing out his short black hair, "I wonder who _is_ allowed into the project. I mean, they've broadcasted a lot of what the thing's about already, but apparently there are super-secret details. Not just breadcrumbs, either."

"This can't be too good. What about Soleanna? Anything from there?"

"Nothing at the moment," Mariah said. "I'll see if I can get over to Spagonia at some point and maybe check out some of my old haunts. Italy has a lot more 'spooks' than most people know, if you know where to look. I'll keep you posted, Shadow."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"It's no problem. Pass the info on to Rouge."

"Wait, before we go anywhere…I think there are rumblings of something going down in Spagonia," Enzo said, scrolling through the info on his smart phone. "You said they were tracking Amy, right?"

"From what I heard…yeah."

"We've got casualties downtown. Someone's laying into the Special Ops pretty hard."

_Has to be Espio. But…why?_

"Uh-oh."

"Enzo, what is it?" Mariah asked.

"We had no deaths before…well, you can scratch that, now. They're trying to keep it quiet, but they've got trouble now. I think they were trying to move in on the target – better known as Amy Rose – and then got hell for it."

"From her?"

"No. Someone else. We just don't know who."

The communicator on Shadow's wrist beeped loudly. He recognized the number quickly.

"Vector, I'm here."

"Shadow, I think you'd better go and back up Espio, lickety-split! We've got trouble with a capital T on the way to Spagonia!"

"Say what?"

"Tails is on his way over there, and it ain't gonna be pretty once he lands! Kid's about ready to kill somebody right now!"

"Copy that. On my way." He got another transmission just then. "This is Shadow."

"Hey, hon'…I think I might need some help over here."

"Where are you, Rouge?"

"Soleanna. Shadow…something's wrong with Tails."

"So I've heard."

"No," she said nervously. "Something…is so very wrong here. He…he has two extra tails, Shadow. If I do-"

"Rouge? Rouge, I didn't catch that."

There was nothing but static for the next minute or so. Something wasn't right.

"Rouge. Come in, Rouge." Shadow cursed under his breath and made his way out of the room.

"I'll hold onto that paperwork," Enzo said, taking the folders from him. "Just get there!"

Shadow nodded before taking off.

"Enzo…ask the little birdie who's been feeding you information to look for something for me. It's important."

"Sure," he replied, curious. "What is it?"

Mariah started to leave the room herself, a cold focus in her green eyes. "Everything on Ivo Robotnik…and especially on Project Metal Sonic."

* * *

><p>an(2): 'Spook' is slang for ghost, and is a military term for a spy. Spies, as you know, are essentially supposed to be invisible and non-existent – just like a ghost would be. Hence the name.


	7. Curse of the Black Ice, Act 4

a/n: Honestly, I'm really sorry about the delay. If I had been better with this…I probably would have been on the next part of the series right now, really. But this part of the arc was giving me trouble and of course I was working on one-shots to get myself going as well as another story I was on a roll with…so that snowballed. So I hope you enjoy this…I guess sort of weak chapter, I think. It'll help me get more frequent with updates, hopefully.

Anyways, enjoy, and thanks for the support as always. And pester me about chapters whenever you can. Like my buddy Kaous did. Even though it's technically two days after I promised him it would come. 'Better late than never, better never late' as the saying goes.

Anyways, yeah. Here's the next one for y'all.

* * *

><p>Kiriko sliced through the doors of the nearby liquor store, allowing Marketa to run through with the golden compass in hand. She shot up and down the aisles as fresh snow tumbled off her jacket.<p>

"It's here somewhere," she called out.

"Hopefully we can find it as soon as possible. The ice is closing in on the village," Kiriko responded. Marketa continued moving, but was visibly frustrated after making several rounds.

"I don't get it. What's with this thing? It's going crazy around this point, but it's refusing to lock onto anything!"

"Maybe it's under the building somewhere."

"That doesn't explain why the compass is going 'round in circles like this, though."

"…Can you hear that?"

Marketa listened, but heard nothing. "No, I can't. What is it?"

"I don't know."

A spire of ice shot up behind Marketa, tossing her to the floor of the shop. She scrambled up and ran for the front door, only to have it blocked off as more sharp fragments tore through the floor.

"This way!" Kiriko slashed through the black ice and carried the girl to the back exit. They burst open the door and took off down the back alley.

"It's this far in already?"

"It seems to be the case," Kiriko said as she transformed her weapon back to its bracelet form. "Where is the compass pointing now?"

"…Back towards the store. That's not good, is it?"

"No, it isn't."

_Think…think! Master trusted you with this mission, so think! At least get something right, Kiriko!_

"I'm not sure what to do…I might as well just bury myself."

"If you give up now, you might as well dig two graves," Marketa said.

Kiriko came to a stop, putting down Marketa.

"What did you just say?"

"I said, you might as well dig two graves-"

"Dig…dig. Underground. Marketa, you said the compass was spinning in circles at the liquor shop."

"Yeah."

"This is a modern village, no?"

"It is. What's that mean, though?"

"Do you see any water pipes? Or any power generators?"

"No. They'd be…" Her eyes lit up in realization. "You're thinking that's where our destination is."

"Underground. The water systems will lead us to where the compass is pointing."

"But…what about the black ice?"

"We know that it came from underground. But we don't know how _far_ underground."

Marketa nodded. "You're right. It could just be surface level for all we know."

"Whatever the case, that's where we need to go. We might find the solution to this entire mess…"

"Okay, then. The fastest way would probably be through the sewers, as icky as that sounds. See that?" she said, pointing to where steam was rising up. "Easy access. If we just pop open one of those covers, we'll be in."

"Better disgusted than dead," Kiriko remarked with a frown.

"I have to agree."

The two walked over to the sewer cover and lifted it off. Kiriko dropped down first, nearly gagging as the water hit her ankles. Marketa climbed down the rungs and then dropped into her arms.

"I could carry you," Kiriko offered.

"Better to have your hands free," Marketa replied, taking a deep breath before stepping in herself. "My favourite boots…it's for the greater good. For the greater good," she whispered.

Kiriko produced a flashlight, handing it over to Marketa.

"Quick and dirty," she said with a sigh. The two made their way forward.

* * *

><p>At about the same time, Sonic arrived in the downtown section of New Holoska. He hopped onto a light pole and surveyed the town for any kind of lead on the current situation.<p>

"Same old garbage…the black ice is reaching here, too."

Suddenly, he caught a whiff of something in the cold breeze. It was…fish?

"Hm. Seems like someone's cooking something up. Following his nose, Sonic raced down the streets until he found a furniture store encased in black ice. Clenching his right hand tightly, he threw a punch at the wall of ice and shattered it into pieces.

"Anyone in there?" he called out.

"Yes, yes. Come on in and get yourself warmed up, young man."

Sonic blinked as he recognized the voice, though it was faint through the doors. Pushing them inwards, he walked towards the flame that burned brightly near a five-piece living room set. Fish were frying on an iron pan as an old woman watched carefully. A woman with long, silky black hair sat nearby, sewing. Nearby, a man with short black hair muttered to himself whilst in a recliner, and beside him in another chair, a grey-haired man slept soundly.

"You guys seem to be doing pretty good for yourselves," Sonic said with a smirk. "Long time no see."

"Sonic? What are you doing here?" Sarianna asked. "And how did you get through the black ice like that?"

"Isn't it obvious, dear? He's the one the legends spoke of," Ursule said with a nod of her head. "Yes, yes. It has to be the case; otherwise he would have been trapped as well."

"Then…then you must have seen Marketa! Please, tell me you managed to find her!" Sarianna pleaded.

Sonic shook his head. "Unfortunately, I haven't been around this area too much, so I haven't seen her. But I know she's safe. A good friend of mine is probably looking after her as we speak, since she is one of the Chosen, after all."

"The what, now?"

"The Chosen," Ursule repeated. "A very select group of individuals meant to help the legendary God of Wind."

"He…really? You mean that it's all true?"

"Of course it is," the old woman said dismissively. "No reason to read all of that material for something that doesn't exist!"

"So if you know about the legends, then you must know about the story behind this black ice," Sonic said.

"Indeed, I do."

"Mind telling me about it? Maybe I can get a clue as to how to stop it from spreading any further and taking over the world."

"It's a straightforward solution, actually. And the story is a simple one."

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Simpler than the one about the Five Dragons?"

"Actually, according to lore, those two are connected…"

Sonic turned to Jari-Thure, whose teeth were chattering loudly.

"Yeah? How so?"

"S-something about purification…yeah. The vessel used by the God of Water was purified right where Holoska was first settled," he said.

"Why here?"

"Because this place had been corrupted for a long, long time. Young man, this part of the world was involved in a massive experiment, the likes of which has never been seen since," Ursule continued.

"Long ago, before the War of the Blazing Sky, the God of Water proposed that all of the world's hatred and despair be sealed in one place beneath the planet. The God of Wind and the Goddess of Fire both opposed this plan, arguing that hatred cannot simply be shoved away. It had to be neutralized with love and kindness. Nevertheless, the God of Water attempted to remove and store the hatred of his subjects in the ice of the North."

"And it didn't work out as planned," Sonic concluded.

"That much is true. Eventually, it was bad enough that the darkness started attracting more and more darkness to itself, and corrupted people nearby. There needed to be a check against it, at least for a little while. This check and the origin of the black ice are one in the same…the gift that protected us against the curse is intertwined with the curse itself. Now that this check has been tampered with, the black ice is free to roam as far as it desires. It will grow by swallowing up the hatred and sorrow of Earth's people…"

"And eventually it'll become unstoppable," Sonic said. "So the problem and the solution are one in the same, huh? Interesting…but what does this have to do with the God of Water's vessel?"

"To create a 'pure' being, a part of either their light or darkness must be expelled completely. In short, the God of Water wanted complete control over his servant, so he expelled the negative energy and darkness inside of her – anything that could possibly allow her to rebel. It's now a part of the black ice that swarms the land."

"But she would be stable by now, right?"

The old woman nodded. "She would be, but the negative energy is quite potent…if she were close enough to that source of energy, it would immediately try to surge back into her body."

Sonic was worried, though he didn't show it. "What would happen then…?"

"She would be immediately taken over by the ice," Jari-Thure said. "With all of that dark energy around, it would become attracted by the sudden movement into her, and possibly all of it would try to enter her body."

"Like a vacuum," Sarianna said with realization.

"This is bad," Sonic muttered.

"Oh? How so, child?" Ursule asked.

"My companion…she's the vessel the God of Water was using. I have to find her before she gets anywhere near that place, or else…"

"But she wouldn't be able to find it, right?" Jari-Thure asked. "The movement of the ice is unpredictable."

"The golden compass would show them the way," Ursule noted. "It has an affinity for the source of the curse, and would lead anyone straight to it once they held it."

"And with Marketa…"

"Is there any place you can think of where the-" Sonic realized something as he looked around at the store. The front part of the building where he came in was frozen, but only up to a certain point. The part he was standing in now was just fine.

"It's a radius…we're on the edge of the effective radius," he said. "Which means the center is…"

He nodded to Ursule. "Thanks for your help, I appreciate it. I'm going back out to find those two…and possibly put a stop to this mess."

"Be careful, lad. And here, take these with you," she said while wrapping up two fried fish for the hedgehog.

"No, I couldn't…"

"You must, you must. Here," she said as she handed him a package. "Now go, you don't have much time."

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "Thanks, Granny Ursule. Later, you guys. Say hi to Jari-Pekka for me when he wakes up."

"We will. Good luck, Sonic…"

"Thanks. Sarianna, I promise I'll bring you daughter back safe. Count on me," he said with a thumb-up. Speeding out through the exit on the other side, he noticed the black ice starting to rise higher and higher into the sky.

"The control might be getting too weak…though I wonder if this is all _her_ doing. She was tormenting us in China…it would make sense that she would come here at one point, but what would the purpose of tapping the black ice be?"

Sonic accelerated down the frosty streets of New Holoska.

"Guess I'll find out soon enough…"

* * *

><p>Rouge flew through the air swiftly, trying to figure out how best to assess the situation at hand.<p>

She was talking to Tails, and then he just…went crazy. Not to mention the fact that he had an extra two tails…what was that all about?

"I lost contact with Shadow back there…"

She could hear him running across the rooftops on all fours, piercing blue eyes locked onto hers. He disappeared in an orange blur, appearing right above her and firing a stream of flame from his mouth. Rouge quickly dodged and went at him with a kick, feeling there was no other choice to make.

"Sorry, kiddo…but you're going down!"

"I don't think so," he growled. "You're slow."

"What-"

She felt him grab her neck from behind, having somehow changed positions in the time it took for her to blink. Rouge felt herself sail through the air and hit the ground hard, sending pieces of the street everywhere as her body left a crater in its wake.

Slow to get up, she screamed out as the fox's knee went into her stomach. She raised an arm to punch him, only to have it pinned down by one of his tails. He did the same thing to the other, leaving her helpless as he brought a sphere of flame to his hands.

"You're a nuisance, bat-girl. Time for you to disappear."

"Tails, don't you remember me? We're friends! On the same team, you know?"

"I don't know you…"

"Kid…you don't mean that…"

"Every word," he said coldly. No trace of sanity remained in his eyes. "Die."

A sonic boom shattered the silence, something slamming into Tails and sending him rolling along the ground before he regained his footing.

"Sorry that I'm late."

Rouge smiled weakly, bringing herself to her feet. "No problem, Shadow. I don't know what's wrong with him right now…he was fine a while ago, and now he's like this."

_Miles…_

"Mistress…"

_There is nothing more to be done, Miles. Fighting them both isn't to your best interest at the moment._

"I…understand, Mistress."

_Thank you, darling…come, I'll take you somewhere safe for now._

"Mistress…I will obey you."

Rouge shielded herself as an intense heat washed over the area, a tall, whirling wall of flames surrounding the fox and swallowing him up.

_Shadow and Rouge…how lovely to see you both. Have you come to meddle in my plans as well?_

"…"

"…"

_Mm…the silent treatment. Not surprising, considering how well trained you lapdogs are. But I'll take care of you soon enough. One way or another, this world will change. It's only the beginning of everything to come. _

_I'll enjoy crushing your precious hero…burning him to ashes…yes, I'll savour that moment, I surely will._

"…"

_Until we meet again…_

The flames suddenly disappeared, leaving Shadow and Rouge standing alone.

"…What the hell was that?" she asked.

"Something bad," Shadow replied. "How are you right now?"

"Banged up, but fine. Why?"

"I need to get to Spagonia right now."

"Go for it. I'll be okay, positive."

"…Take care, Rouge."

He disappeared in a flash of green light.

"You too…Shadow."


	8. Curse of the Black Ice, Act 5

Okay, another one. I think I'm back to myself on this one, chapter felt right. A few twists to be had, as you can ]probably guess.

Thanks as always for reading.

* * *

><p>The dark streets of Spagonia lit up in a wave of flame, people running all over the streets and screaming at the tops of their lungs. Running from her hotel room, Amy Rose weaved through the panicked crowds and to the source of the commotion.<p>

She zipped up her light jacket and adjusted the waistband on her jogging pants, poppy red sneakers hitting the streets in quick strides. A swirling wall of flame was just ahead, torching the buildings in the vicinity until it suddenly disappeared.

Amy kept running, feeling the heat from the burning buildings as she rushed past them. Standing in the centre of the chaos was a familiar form.

"Tails…!"

He turned towards her, his four tails swishing about in the breeze behind him. Blue eyes stared coldly into her green, and she slowed to a stop several feet from where he stood. A circle of white-hot flames surrounded him on the ground.

"What happened to you?" she asked softly. A terrible chill was running through her body, for she could feel nothing but anger and hatred coming from the fox…

He suddenly smiled, making her skin crawl as she unconsciously took a step backwards. "I've been awakened, that's all."

"A-awakened? What do you mean?"

"Mistress has shown me my true potential."

"Mistress? Tails, this isn't like you! Whatever this is, you have to fight it!"

Summoning her courage, she walked towards him only to have the circle of flame flare up in her face.

"Fight? What am I fighting against? Myself? That's all I've been doing for the past five years, and I'm sick of it."

"You were the one that said-"

"I told you a lot of things, Amy," he said regretfully. "I was trying to make you feel better, give you something to cling to. I was trying to convince myself that everything could change for the better. But nothing can change unless you take action."

"So…this is your way of taking action?"

The flames died down, allowing them to see each other again.

"You've seen how corrupt this world could be…you've seen what they did to Sonic. How they destroyed him, his reputation. How they took Robotnik and put him in the guise of a hero. Our lives have never been the same since."

"…"

"Amy…can't you see? Mistress is going to change this world by eliminating all that stands in the way to peace. She wants to bathe this world in a cleansing fire."

She shook her head. "You want to kill people. You're doing this, and yet you've spent most of your life protecting this planet, along with Sonic. Tails, this isn't who you are. You're letting your bitterness and hatred take you over…"

"I've been a dog of the government for far too long, Amy. They took my heart and smashed it to pieces, just like they did yours! I came here because I thought you would be the one to understand!"

"I do! Believe me, I understand all of what you're feeling right now! But this isn't the way!" she screamed.

"It's the only way…Amy, there's nothing else left."

Amy held out her arms, feeling herself start to cry. "You have me. You'll _always_ have me. Tails…please."

He looked at her for a moment before parting the flames in front of her as he approached.

"I know…Amy, I…"

"Just come here, okay?"

She pulled him into a hug as soon as he got close enough. "I don't want to lose you, too. Just…stay with me. We'll figure things out, together. Tails, I need you…I really need you."

"I'm sorry, Amy. But…"

"What…what is it?"

He wrapped two of his tails around her arms, holding them in place as he stepped backwards. Amy found herself struggling to no effect as his grip tightened.

"Very good, Miles."

"Mistress…"

"M-mistress?" Amy looked around for the source of the voice, feeling her blood run cold as someone placed their hands on her shoulders from behind.

"Amelia, dearest. Won't you join us?"

"Just who the hell are you…what've you done to Tails?" the pink hedgehog snarled. "Tails, let me go! Let me go!"

"Poor girl. So lost and alone, so confused…I wonder…"

"Shut up! I don't care what you're wondering!"

"Your temper's showing…how interesting."

"Tails, if you don't let me down I swear I will-"

"Miles."

Amy bit down on her lip as the fox's tails tightened around her arms.

"It's not very ladylike to make empty threats, you know."

"It's not very ladylike to be a total creeper, either. But I see that hasn't stopped you, has it?"

The blue-eyed temptress growled and placed a hand on Amy's back. Sweat quickly started to drip down from her forehead, her entire body heating up at an unnatural rate.

"I suppose you'll apologize for that comment."

Amy smirked defiantly, still struggling to get out of Tails' bindings. "Bite me, witch."

"You know, that's a great suggestion," the woman said with a smile. "Miles…oblige the girl."

"With pleasure, Mistress."

Amy choked off a scream as Tails brought her to her knees, the temperature in her body still rising.

"This is for the best, Amy…you'll come to realize how much you can become once you just let go…once you throw your emotions aside. The fires will cleanse this world and purify it," he said.

"And what about Sonic? You know he won't stand for this."

"Sonic will be safe. Mistress assured me it would be so."

"Your mistress is full of it."

"Miles…give her a taste of the power she will eventually come to know." The blue-eyed woman stepped out from the shadows, revealing herself to Amy.

"You…you are…"

"Surprised? Don't be. I meant what I said when I wanted peace, but trusting the militaries and governments of this wretched world is foolishness. I will bring the new era into being by my own hand…with your help." She leaned forward, whispering into Amy's ear. "You will come to know the truth, Emissary of Darkness…"

Before she could protest, Tails lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the base of her neck. Strained gasps bubbled up from her throat as her body twitched in pain, green eyes widening.

Objects suddenly whizzed through the air towards the fox, only to be stopped by a wall of flame behind him.

"Come, Miles. Leave her where she lies…"

"Will she be…?"

"I assure you, she will be fine. She will be very soon…"

The two disappeared in a burst of flame, just as Espio touched down. He surveyed the destruction around him with wary eyes before rushing to Amy's side. She was out cold…

"This isn't good…"

"Freeze! Hands in the air!"

"Tch-!" Espio slung Amy over his back, ignoring the yells of the G.U.N soldiers as they chased him through the streets. Picking up speed, he twirled a grappling gun in his hands before firing it at a rooftop. Turning himself and his passenger invisible, he then pulled the trigger and sailed upwards, completely evading the troops as they searched for him.

Espio returned them both to normal, accessing his communicator. "Vector, we have a situation. I presume that our friend Tails has gone rogue."

"Yeah, seems like it. He apparently took a few shots at Rouge earlier in Soleanna. Shadow should be in the area right about-"

"Now."

Espio nodded and laid Amy down on the rooftop, turning to the black hedgehog. "So you know of what happened."

"Not exactly. I just know that the kid's gone off the deep end."

"What do you think could have caused it?" Espio asked, fishing for a response.

"Could be damn near anything," Shadow muttered.

"He was asking about something that could have possibly mutated him…but I think this is more magic-based. Someone is directly manipulating him, using his rage and hate built over the past five years."

"You think this was part of some elaborate scheme?"

"No," Espio said. "But whoever is doing this knew that he was in a fragile state of mind."

"Eggman?"

"Not his kind of work. Amy could have reached him then, but even she couldn't…"

Shadow knelt down and touched the unconscious girl's neck. "Bite marks…"

"Tails' doing."

"Lovely," Shadow remarked. "Is _she_ going to turn into a magical nine-tailed fox, too?"

"No," Espio replied bluntly. "This darkness is…familiar, somehow. Strange. Like the time that the planet..."

"…was split apart," Shadow finished. "Dark Gaia?"

"It's very much a possibility."

"Anything we can do to stop it, or neutralize it? Something?"

The chameleon shook his head. "All we can do is watch over her. She must find a way to focus her spirit and use her inner _ki_ to overcome this obstacle."

Shadow rubbed his temples. "In other words, we're useless right now. Fine. I'll leave her with Rouge and she can take her in at the club for a while."

"Isolation might be the best medicine..."

"Leaving her to her own devices? Like hell that'll work. We handle her my way until otherwise noted. A couple of my people are probably looking through Eggman's files as we speak, so we might find a clue or something."

"Perhaps you're looking on the wrong side of the equation. Eggman may not be your problem."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "So who could possibly be mucking things up this time?"

Espio looked calmly to the night sky.

"Sometimes...the worst problems come from the best solutions."

* * *

><p>"Any idea of how much further?"<p>

"I believe that it shouldn't be too far from our location…"

Kiriko and Marketa continued through the sewers, the teenage girl holding her flashlight steady as the sky blue hedgehog scanned the area. The compass was leading them further and further into the drainage network, and they noticed it getting cooler as they progressed. Frost had started to form on the walls and the pipes that ran along them.

"You might be right. It's getting chilly in here," Marketa said. "Do you think Sonic will be here soon?"

"It's possible. I'm not sure exactly how far he's decided to go out."

"Well, hopefully he'll be around soon."

The two continued their walk, noticing ice sheets floating on the surface of the waters. Light was bouncing off of the walls ahead as they approached a large room. On one side of the area was a large transformer, humming with electricity. Bursts of light were dancing across its surfaces.

"This is kind of weird," Marketa said as she pulled back the hood of her jacket. The compass was pointing to one side, towards a rotating pillar of black ice. Light pulsed from the cracks in it, creating a strobe effect on the walls around them. "The compass is locked onto this thing. What do you think it is?"

"I have no clue myself," Kiriko answered. "But it might just be our answer to this problem." Truthfully, she felt herself being drawn to the pillar for some reason…why was that? Did she have some connection to this place as well? Maybe it was the case, but she couldn't remember if she did. Either way, it was best to keep her distance. She had gotten too close to a wall the last time, and strange things happened...

"Too bad it's covered in the black ice," Marketa said with a frown.

"We can break it open."

"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea, Kiriko."

"We don't have much else in the way of options," the hedgehog replied while rolling up her sweater sleeves. The cold air bit into her skin, but she ignored it and called on her black katana.

"Maybe we should go back and look for Sonic."

"I've already caused him enough trouble. I need to do this on my own."

Kiriko pushed away the unease that was dogging her. Something was telling her to listen to Marketa and wait for her master to arrive.

But something else, something far stronger was urging her to break open the black ice and find out what was inside of it.

Marketa watched as the compass needle spun in a blur of color.

"Kiriko...are you sure about this?"

"Positive. Just step back, Marketa. I don't want you getting hurt by flying ice."

Nodding, the girl splashed up water as she moved several feet to Kiriko's rear, watching as she held the katana in front of her body. A swirling current of wind appeared around the blade.

"This is it...time to put an end to this mess!"

A loud boom sounded from far behind Marketa, her head turning to see a familiar blue hedgehog racing towards her.

"Sonic...?"

"**Marketa! Tell Kiriko to stay away from the source!**"

"No...it's almost..." She frantically turned to the hedgehog as she slashed downward.

"**Kiriko! Stooooooop!**"

The sword went straight through the ice pillar, a perfect diagonal cut separating the two halves as they slid away from each other. In the middle was a black sphere that somehow glowed with pure white light, suspended in the air before her.

"**Kiriko! Run!**"

"I...uh...?"

Trying to move her feet, Kiriko found that she couldn't move her body at all. No matter how hard she tried, nothing was working.

"N-not again...it can't..."

_Why isn't she...?_ Sonic looked down at her feet, watching as the black ice froze them into place. The black sphere, the source of and somehow the solution to all of the madness, flew into the girl's body.

"Kiriko, I'm gonna get you out of there!"

"No..."

She finally regained control of herself, turning her head to face her master's. A peaceful smile graced her face, and she pointed towards the entrance to the substation.

"Master...please run."

"Kiriko...no. No, no, no...none of this again. None of this."

"Please...you have to go..."

He could see her hands twitching, frost starting to form on her fingers. There was no time left, and she was right.

They had to go.

Sonic dashed away from Kiriko, scooping up Marketa and tearing down the tunnels as fast as he could. The sewers exploded in a torrent of black ice crystals, sharp spires shooting up and out of the underground power station and through the floors of the liquor store above ground. He found the open manhole cover and hurtled upwards with a jump, shooting diagonally through the hole while tucking Marketa in safely. They hit the ground running, Sonic not daring to stop until he could no longer hear the rumblings behind him.

Sliding to a stop, he set down the taller girl who by now was in tears. She sat on the frozen ground, crying into her hands softly.

The blue hedgehog looked back towards the solid wall of ice that towered above him. Pulling back his right hand, he slammed it into the wall and watched as it crumbled to the ground...only to reveal another thick wall of ice behind it.

"Marketa...I need you to do something for me."

"W-what can I p-possibly..."

"Marketa...listen to me, okay? I need you to do something for me," he repeated.

She nodded softly. "Y-yeah. Okay..."

"There's a power station seven blocks south of this position. I need you to find some way, any way of getting it working. Fiddle with switches, pull levers, whatever. Something."

"W-what about you?"

Sonic pulled his arm back again, slamming it into another wall of ice and shattering it. "I've got business to take care of. Demolition and rescue."

"Y-yeah. You look b-busy. I'll g-go," Marketa said as she rose to her feet.

"Hey."

"Y-yeah?"

"Everything will be okay. I promise you that. We'll make it out in the end, Marketa."

"I believe you."

"Good...and thank you for your help."

She nodded once before running off, leaving Sonic alone with his thoughts.

He hated his thoughts right now.

There was a sharp pain in his chest. He couldn't stop thinking of Amy, and from that he knew that something was wrong. But this problem was more immediate. If he left this alone, there would be no Amy to save, let alone anyone left to save her. Kiriko was at the center of that mass of black ice, and he knew what it could do to people.

She was too fragile to last long in those conditions.

He slammed his fist into another wall of ice, watching as it crumbled around him.

And unaware of the dangers that lay ahead, Sonic the Hedgehog slowly made his way forward.


End file.
